Cheltenham - 16/4/08

[WoodyTHFC]

2.20 Harry Tricker 7.5 pts e.w After being midfield in hot contest on debut, he produced a couple of fair placed efforts before a good plumpton win over a horse that ran well in the triumph and to a lesser degree, at aintree. Lto was disappointing in fred winter and that is of a concern but this years fred winter was a testing and bruising race and it just tailed off too badly to be true. Its off a pound lower mark today and whilst there has to be some doubt after last run, it has had a fair break now and quite clearly its win is good form now and place chances at least if back to more like its earlier form. 2.55 Irish Raptor 7.5 pts e.w Very game and normally front runner who has put up some fine efforts in his career and despite tough season, if it has not had enough for the year then can run well again. Won here earlier this season so capable of this trip and probably needs having just failed to get back up at aintree in topham over shorter at speedier track. He has risen after that run and the combination of that rise and tough season may have its toll but with trainer having done so well this season and on the back of such a good run, he should still be very capable of another solid run. 3.30 Liberate 7.5 pts e.w Quite well thought of last season and when it got its better ground in the triumph ran well, staying on to be a well beaten second to katchit but ahead of a decent horses such as Punjabi (CH third.) Has ran poorly since then but possibly been in handicappers grip, runs off much lower mark today, trip I think is more ideal, certainly a horse staying on in the triumph normally needs more than 2m and that 4 year old form suddenly looks better now after Katchit/Punjabi's exploits (I doubted it for a long time.) Good ground looks preferable too. 4.05 Fundamentalist 7.5 pts e.w Again danger is that it has had so many runs and coming after a GN fall may have difficulties taking its toll but this season it has fulfilled a bit more of its promise when in its hurdle days it beat Inglis Drever at Chelt. and was a grade 2 winner over fences. Jumping better this season it has a couple of wins, a decent second to Jack the Giant giving weight and ran with credit here at fest. twice, once when not quite staying over 3m and then again at nearer to todays distance when it ran on to be third in a race where the well beaten horses behind the impressive veteran winner have run really well since. Was never going to stay in GN before it fell at third but at todays trip capable, Boychuk is the e.w danger as I think its well handicapped if it can put a good jumping round together.

[BillyHills]

Re: Cheltenham - 16/4/08 255 Cheltenham : Blue Splash EW Won three times over fences reaching a rating of 136 but since the turn of the year has been disappointing, the ground was definitely the reason for his poor run at Haydock, was a real slog that day despite the official going, he ran well here on good ground behind Over The Creek before falling 3 out, he wouldnt of won or anything but considering he was racing off 136 that day compared to 129 today against lesser opposition, that run reads well. The trainer is the main concern, been terribly out of form this season for one reason or another, a winner the other day was a glimpse that he may have turned the corner and an interview i saw was encouraging also, so all in all its maybe the right time to back this one after a break, back on decent ground and been dropped 7lbs. 330 Earth Planet I like the profile of this one, making steady improvement and lat time won well, form has held up too. Dont normally like backing a Nicholls horse in a handicap as you dont get value but this one looks well layed out for something such as this, i reckon he has lots of improvement in him and maybe very well in at the weights.